The Fallen King
by Oddsisters
Summary: Lelouch is dead, but it wasn't over for Suzaku. He dreams of it every night, replaying it over like a film. A nightmare that he couldn't get over. Full summary inside. Yaoi.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Lelouch is dead, but it wasn't over for Suzaku. He dreams of it every night, replaying it over like a film. A nightmare that he couldn't get over. He hated him, but loved him...a little too late to realize his own feelings for his friend and enemy. Life goes on and he can't stop time, but what if...he was given a second chance? Would he take it or would he give it all up again?

Based after R2 with the assumption that Lelouch is dead.

Disclaimer: We do not own Code Geass. This is purely fanmade.

oddsisters' note: Characters may be out of character. There will be one OOC character that we will claim as our own. This fan fiction is not related to the anime/manga. It will contain boy x boy. Rated M for sexual content, language, and maybe violence (that will be later in the story).

**The Fallen King : Return**

All he could do was helplessly watch her from the side, blaming himself for not being able to save her in time. He tighten his grasp over the brooch that she had given him and he begged silently to God for the first time in his life to save her. Looking up, he noticed she had awoken. He had so many things to say to her, but he couldn't muster any words. He could only stare at her. Cecile and Lloyd had chosen to leave, allowing him and Euphemia to be alone. She was saying something he didn't understand, but he was just glad she was awake. He believed everything was going to be okay, however, in the short time they spent together his hope turned into despair as the beeping sound from the heart monitor stopped. He gritted his teeth together, choking back sobs. "Damn you Zero," he muttered under his breath, "I'll never forgive you."

It was blurry, yet he could still see him. Pointing the gun at him, he screamed out the name he had called out so many times when they were friends, "Lelouch!" The gun turned into a sword and jabbed forward, stabbing into flesh. He felt the warm trickle of blood as he remained in the position he was in. The tears streamed down his face as every emotion racked his body at once. There was a small tap on Zero's helmet that he wore.

Aside from the buzzing sound in his head, he could hear Lelouch's soft whisper, "The punishment for what you have done shall be this then...you will live on, always wearing that mask, serving as a knight for justice and truth. You will no longer live your life as Suzaku Kururugi. You shall sacrifice the ordinary pleasures of your life in benefit of the world for eternity."

Suzaku bit back a cry, letting the tears flow down his cheeks. He replied with the only answer he knew, "This Geass I do solemnly accept."

The buzzing sound became louder until he was jolted awake. Droplets of sweat beaded down his face as he sat up. He reached over to turn off the alarm clock. His throat had gone dry and he was shivering from the dream. Suzaku ran his fingers through his unkempt hair, unsure of how many times he had dreamt of the same dream. It plagued him ever since the day he killed Lelouch. Night after night, it haunted him until he feared sleeping. Shakily, he sighed and pushed the blankets aside. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and as soon as his feet touched solid ground, his body relaxed immediately. He stretched his arms and glanced at the clock. The time read six o' five in the morning. With an inward groan, he prepared for the day. He slipped on Zero's suit and briefly glanced at himself in the mirror. He could almost feel Lelouch's presence in the suit and grimaced at the thought. Shaking his head, he turned away from the mirror and reached for Zero's mask, putting it on quickly. He checked the time once more before hurrying out of the room.

Being the new Empress of Britannia, the day was going to be busy for Nunnally, who had many meetings to attend. He knew he had to remain by her side at all times. Accompanying Nunnally into the conference room, he pushed her wheelchair up to the table. The meeting commenced immediately with Nunnally addressing the nations' state of affair.

"Today I have called for a meeting because there have been a few incidents occurring within the country. We must resolve this issue before it arises to a national crisis. The problem involves the assassination of a group of influential Chinese allies. The black knights have investigated the situation and the result clearly points to the start of an uprising," stated Nunnally.

Murmurs waved through the room in surprise. This was also news to Suzaku. He looked down at Nunnally who seemed composed, but he could see her hands trembling. He reached down and placed his hand on her shoulder to assure her.

After the murmurs subsided, Nunnally continued speaking, "I have decided to have the black knights work with the Chinese Ceremonial Guards on this matter. I want every one to understand we take this problem very seriously. I would not want Empress Tianzi to be in danger as well as any Chinese officials and citizens."

The meeting continued rentlentlessly, addressing other world issues on the agenda. It was hours later when the meeting was finally adjourned. Suzaku pushed Nunnally out of the conference room and led her to the awaiting van. Pushing the wheelchair onto the railway, he pushed her into the car and slid the van door shut. While they sat in the car, Suzaku asked, "How come you never told me about the assassination attempts?"

Nunnally looked over to him and smiled slightly. "If I did, it would only worry you and then you would have worked even harder than you already are. Sometimes I think you over work yourself too much," she replied in her sweet voice.

Suzaku glanced away from her and sighed inwardly. "It was…my promise to Lelouch that I would always serve justice," he said quietly.

"Am I suppose to be that justice?" asked Nunnally.

"You are the Empress of Britannia…you are a representation of justice and peace."

Nunnally did not reply to him, causing him to look back at her. She was smiling sadly at him.

Suzaku reached out with one hand and placed it over her hands on top of her lap. He squeezed it slightly and said, "You are still Nunnally to me…but things are different now. I don't have time to rest. My duty is to remain at your side and protect you."

Nunnally nodded her head at him. Silence fell over them and it remained that way until they reached Nunnally's home. Guards dressed in black suits were checking the area before opening the gate. The van entered slowly as the security guards continued to check the area. Once fully inside, the guards returned to the positions with four guards guarding the front gate and others placed in close ranges in case their was any attempt of assassination. Suzaku made a quick scan of the area and then slid the van door open. He pushed Nunnally out of the van and toward the house.

After they got inside the house, he pushed her into the living room where Sayoko was already waiting for them. She greeted the both of them and then left to brew some tea. Suzaku pushed Nunnally to the small table, setting her next to it before stepping aside. She was staring out the window as he seated himself across from her. Sayoko returned a few minutes later with a tray of tea and cookies. She set it on the table and bowed, walking to stand besides Nunnally. Suzaku glanced over to her and watched as she readjusted Nunnally.

"Please sit," Nunnaly said, gesturing to the seat next to her for Sayoko.

The super maid nodded her head and seated herself. She poured a cup of tea for Nunnaly and then glanced over to Suzaku to see if he would like some. Suzaku declined, shaking his head.

"Su-I mean, Zero…will you at least remove your mask when you're around me?" asked Nunnaly as she gave a smile to Sayoko for pouring her tea.

"I shouldn't," replied Suzaku.

"But you're just with me. I would at least like to see the face of my childhood friend."

Suzaku sighed, unable to reject her. He reached up with a hand and clicked the helmet. He opened and slid it off. A cool breeze swept across his face and he exhaled slowly. Setting the helmet on the table, he looked up at Nunnally who was genuinely smiling at him.

"It's nice to see your face again," she said.

Suzaku smiled at her, but it was forced. It wasn't as though he didn't want her to see his face. It was just that it had been a while since the last time he was able to see her face to face. Ever since he took on the image of Zero, he had never once been able to be Suzaku Kururugi, just as Lelouch had said. He had to throw away his old life.

"What does it feel like to be Suzaku Kururugi again?" asked Nunnally, as though reading his mind.

He quickly looked down and thinned his lips. "Weird," he replied, "It's been a while since I've been…Suzaku Kururugi in front of you…and I'm afraid I'm not the same."

"…Because of Lelouch's death?" asked Nunnally.

"…Ever since Euphie's…"

"Ah."

Silence fell over the room as Nunnaly drank her tea and Suzaku stared out the window. A knock on the door stirred their silence. Suzaku quickly reached for the Zero mask and slipped it back on. After putting the mask on, Nunnally called for the person to enter. A young man dressed in a black suit with black sunglasses entered and bowed to Nunnally. He turned toward Suzaku stiffly and said, "Earl Lloyd wishes to see you, Zero."

Suzaku glanced at the man and then over to Nunnally. "I can't. Tell him to com-"

Before Suzaku could finish his sentence, Nunnally interrupted him. "Please go ahead and see him, Zero," she said, "It must be urgent if he is asking you to go there."

Suzaku hesitantly stood. After hearing about the assassinations of the Chinese officials, he did not want to leave Nunnaly alone. He stood and stared at Nunnally for a few seconds before looking over to Sayoko. "Take care of her," he said. Sayoko nodded at him. He returned her nod with one of his own and then followed after the young man.

He arrived at the lab that belonged the to military. Entering into it, he found Lloyd sitting at the table with a large computer screen before him. Suzaku walked to him and cleared his throat. Lloyd swiveled around in his seat and smiled lazily at him. "Ah, good afternoon Su-ah, I mean Zero!" he greeted after correcting himself. He waved for Suzaku to come closer which he complied to. When he was a few feet away Lloyd stood from his seat and gestured for Cecile to come over. She walked over and stood by his side, facing Suzaku.

"Please make this quick," said Suzaku, "I do not wish to leave Nunnally alone."

"Is Sayoko with her?" asked Lloyd.

"Yes."

"Then she'll be fine."

He waved off Suzaku's comment about hurrying and gestured Suzaku to follow him. Suzaku did, following after him as they quickly walked pass a few scientists. They walked into another room with lesser people. They made a quick turn around the corner and entered into a white room. Suzaku frowned and stopped himself as Lloyd walked over and pressed a red button, locking the door they had entered from. Suzaku glanced over his shoulder, confused as to what Lloyd was doing.

Cecile patted his shoulder and he looked over to her. "Please remove your helmet," she said kindly.

Suzaku shook his head. He had already removed it once in front of Nunnally; he wasn't going to remove it again.

"It's okay. The cameras are turned off at the moment," said Cecile.

The seconds ticked by as they waited. Suzaku clenched his teeth together and then removed his helmet slowly. Holding it in his hands, he glanced around the white room. To the left, there was a white cot with metal bed posts. A few feet away to its right was a white dresser with black knobs. There was another door with a black knob, but Suzaku wasn't sure where it led to. Scanning the room, it felt as though someone was living in it.

"What is this place?" asked Suzaku, "Does someone live here?"

"I will explain in a bit and yes, someone does live here," answered Lloyd easily, "No one has permission to enter this room except Cecile and I."

"Why?"

"Because this is where the experiment lives."

"Experiment?"

Lloyd turned towards him and smiled mysteriously. He waved his hand over to the white, round table that had four white chairs around it. They walked over and sat down in the chair. Lloyd folded his hands on top of the table, glancing at Cecile briefly before looking at Suzaku. "This will be a little shocking, but…I think it's best if you're the one responsible for him. Cecile and I concluded you were the only one able to," said Lloyd.

Suzaku tilted his head and frowned. "What is it?" he asked.

"Cloning. It's a technology that uses the process of transferring a DNA fragment of interest from one organism to a self-replicating genetic element such as a bacterial plasmid. The DNA of interest can then be propagated in a foreign host cell. To "clone a gene," a DNA fragment containing the gene of interest is isolated from chromosomal DNA using restriction enzymes and then united with a plasmid that has been cut with the same restriction enzymes-" before Lloyd could finish, Suzaku interrupted him.

"I understand the basic meaning of cloning. You don't have to go into detail. The question I want to know is, why are we cloning? What is the need for this?"

"I see...well, I guess I'll get straight to the point then. It was a top secret research initiated by King Charles. Both Cecile and I were a part of this research from the beginning. We were one of the original researchers. This cloning was meant for a body double, but there was a flaw in the system. The clones were created without retaining any traits and memories of their original. When this project first started, our purpose was to have clones with memories and traits intact. So because of this flaw, the clones had to be taught which took time. However, as we were beginning to find the solution to the flaw, the project was discontinued when King Charles died. Eventually, Prince Schneizel stumbled upon the remaining information of cloning. Fascinated, he reopened and resumed the project under his order. However, once again, it did not last long. It was discontinued, but this time the facility was destroyed under Lelouch's order. All clones were annihilated. No traces and evidence were to be found. It was during one of our travels to China that Cecile and I came across him by accident and putting the two together we understood he was the only one who escaped amongst the eradication. We decided to take him in because he looked starved and ragged. Of course it was also due to our curiosity as scientists. We placed him in this quarter to observe his traits and habits. Interestingly, even though he was not the original, he displayed similar traits. It was exciting, so Cecile and I decided to further the observation-."

"Without informing Nunnally? She is the Empress. You are committing a grave crime without having permission to operate a research-" Suzaku was interrupted by Cecile.

"We wanted to find out more about this clone before approaching Nunnally with our proposal to further our research. So, we decided that you're the best solution to assist in our observation. You cannot decline because we know that you will find this interesting," said Cecile with a smile.

"Suzaku, let me introduce you to the clone. However, please remain calm. Do not treat him roughly. He is a clone that has no memories of the original," said Lloyd, "Now, let us continue. We have named him after his original. It only seemed fitting…please come in."

Lloyd spoke to the door and Suzaku watched as the white door creaked open. The familiar figure that stepped out shocked Suzaku. The name seemed to have lodged in his throat. He stood from his seat, staring at the black hair, purple eyes, slender individual before him. Finally, the name slipped out in a quiet whisper, "Lelouch."

* * *

><p><strong>Afterword<strong>

**oddsisters**: This will be one of our more serious series that we will be writing. We struggled for five pages due to the political aspect of the fan fiction. It stumped us just because we're not very political. Anyways, thank you for reading and we hope to see you in the next chapter (which will be much longer). Don't forget to review or favor the story (whisper: and put it on alert)! Bye-bye!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: We do not own Code Geass. This is purely fanmade.

oddsisters' note: Characters may be out of character. There will be one OOC character that we will claim as our own. This fan fiction is not related to the anime/manga. It will contain boy x boy. Rated M for sexual content, language, and maybe violence (that will be later in the story).

**The Fallen King : Destined**

"Why? Why him? Why did it have to be him?" asked Suzaku as he whispered the question repeatedly under his breath. He was sitting with his head down and his elbows resting on his knees. He took in a deep breath and looked up at Lloyd who had a red, already bruising, cheek. A few minutes earlier, after seeing Lelouch back from the dead, Suzaku had reacted in way that even he didn't know he could. He had turned towards Lloyd, grabbed him by the collar and punched him as hard as he could. Lloyd had toppled over and Cecile had ran to his side, scolding Suzaku. He had turned back to see Lelouch, but the young man had hid himself behind the white door after seeing the violent action.

It was at that moment when Suzaku plopped himself onto the chair which led them to this moment. He sighed and said in a low voice, "Sorry...it was just...shocking. I didn't expect that Lelouch had...a clone."

Lloyd rubbed his cheek slowly and shrugged. "Honestly, I had no idea either. I didn't think that Prince Schneizel would actually clone Lelouch. Maybe he missed his younger brother. After all, despite his ambition for the throne and killing anyone who gets in his way, he did...kind of care for his siblings."

Suzaku shook his head, "If he did, I doubt he would have shot Cornelia."

"Well...before that, that is."

Suzaku looked back to the door where Lelouch was still hiding behind. He was shyly peeking around the door. It was Cecile who walked over to him and ushered him out. Suzaku gulped back the lump forming in the back of his throat. He watched the mirror like image person walk out from behind the door once more and toward them. It felt as though he was dreaming again. The same figure he had seen in his dreams had come back to life. It was almost surreal. Suzaku hesitantly reached out with one hand and touched the clone Lelouch, but pulled back immediately. He shook his head and said, "I can't...if you're expecting me to take care of him while observing him, I can't do it."

"Why not?" asked Lloyd, "Out of everyone else, I believed that you would be most interested. After all, is he not Lelouch?"

"He's not him!" exclaimed Suzaku as he stood from his chair and shook his head, "This is not the Lelouch that I killed! He is not the friend that I knew from my childhood. He is not the enemy I despise. He has no recollection of our past together nor our history and he is not...the one that I made a promise to. This is simply a stranger with Lelouch's face."

His voice had made the clone Lelouch flinch, but Suzaku held back any emotions of sympathy. He glanced over to Cecile and shook his head again. "As much as I had come to love Lelouch...I hate him just as much. I don't think that I'm the right person fit for this job." Suzaku grabbed the Zero mask and put it back on. He turned to leave, but remembered that Lloyd had locked the door. He stopped before the door and turned to look at the three. "Please open the door," he said.

Lloyd looked over to Cecile and Lelouch and then back to Suzaku. He sighed and stood, walking over to the red button and pressing it.

Suzaku heard a click and turned again to leave, but was stopped when Cecile called out to him.

"At least...think about it, please," said Cecile.

Suzaku looked over his shoulder and he could see Lelouch standing next to Cecile. He stared at the amethyst eyes. They were the same as the pair of eyes on the day he had killed Lelouch; pure from evil, only showing what he had done was for the world. Without answering Cecile, Suzaku nodded his head once and left the room, returning to Nunnally's house.

When he arrived, Nunnally was in her study room with Sayoko.

"What did Mr. Lloyd discuss with you?" asked Nunnally as Suzaku entered the study room.

He walked over to her side and sat down in chair next to her. "He was just explaining a new type of knightmare," answered Suzaku smoothly. He had no idea why he had lied to Nunnally. In truth, he should have told her what Lloyd and Cecile was up to, but seeing Lelouch's face again, he didn't know what to do anymore. He was torn between wanting to be near him again and not wanting to ever see him again. He dreamed of Lelouch and that was enough to bring him pain. To actually see Lelouch in the flesh once more; it was much more painful. He loved him and only realized it after he had killed Lelouch, but he couldn't bring himself to forgive him for what he did to Euphie. Even if it was an accident, their ideal of uniting a nation had been too far apart that Suzaku couldn't understand it. "Nunnally," he whispered.

She glanced up from the book she was reading and smiled at him expectantly.

Suzaku stared at her, searching for any sign of facial resemblance to Lelouch, but there was none; not even the purple pair of eyes were the same. Nunnally was gentle and kind, a benevolent ruler. "Do you...ever wonder what it would have been like if Lelouch was still alive?" he asked.

Nunnally's smile faltered slightly and then slowly disappeared. She set the book down on the table and turned to face Suzaku."I have...many times. If he was still alive...if the world was not the way it was back then...I think Lelouch would have been a wonderful King. A lot better than I am," she said quietly.

Suzaku closed his eyes and forced himself to ask the one question he always feared of asking her, "Do you blame me for his death?"

"No! Of course not! Suzaku...Zero...whichever you are right now, I would never blame you for Lelouch's death. I...never expected my brother to come up with Zero Requiem...to die for the nations. However, I would never blame you for his death. He wanted that...it was a decision he chose and because he knew that only you could do it," she replied, "Don't blame yourself, because you only did what you had to do. I would have been happy if I was still able to just live with him, but I'm happy right now too."

Suzaku was about to reply when there was an announcement that Cornelia had come to visit Nunnally. He could see Nunnally's face beam at the announcement and he chose to end their conversation. He did not wish have Nunnally suffer over the memories of Lelouch. He turned in his chair and looked to the door when it opened. Cornelia stepped inside and greeted Nunnally. Watching her, Suzaku could tell that she was relieved to see Nunnally doing perfectly fine. Euphemia's death had hit Cornelia the hardest since the two were close. He was sure that since Euphie's death, she probably didn't want Nunnally to get hurt either. Suzaku stood and allowed Cornelia to sit in the chair. She nodded her head in thanks and seated herself.

"It's good to see you doing your duty," said Cornelia with a tight smile.

Suzaku glanced down at her and nodded his head. He walked over to Nunnally and stood beside her. He knew that Cornelia did not know his true identity and therefore, she was quite wary of him. Despite her wariness of him she did seem to acknowledge the fact that he was protecting Nunnally properly.

The day passed by slowly as the two women spoke to each other. Their topic of conversation held nothing important. It was after dinner when Cornelia left and Nunnally was being put into bed that Suzaku entered the room. Sayoko pulled the blankets over the young girl before leaving. Suzaku thanked her and then strolled to Nunnally's bedside.

"If it's alright with you...I wish to go somewhere. I will have Sayoko watch over you," he said.

Nunnally looked up at him with a smile. "Okay. Please be careful," she replied.

Suzaku nodded his head and left her room. He searched for Sayoko, who wasn't far the room. "Can you watch her for a while?" he asked, "Make sure nothing happens."

Sayoko agreed, walking to Nunnally's room.

Suzaku stayed long enough to watch Sayoko enter Nunnally's room. Once assured everything was in order, he then left the house.

Again, Suzaku stood in front of the facility he had earlier entered that afternoon. He walked into the building and returned to the lab where he found Cecile compiling some paperwork. She looked up from her paperwork and greeted him. Suzaku glanced around the lab which was empty now, but he still made sure to speak to her in private. They walked away from the main station toward an empty corridor. "I want to address what we spoke about earlier. You said you had cameras in that room," said Suzaku, "Does that mean you both recorded him?"

"Yes we recorded him. It was so we could observe him," she replied.

"Can I...please see them?"

He asked hesitantly, but Cecile agreed without a second thought. She led him to Lloyd's office where he was currently working.

"Oh, what brings you back Zero?" asked Lloyd.

Suzaku spared him a quick glance, noticing that there was a patch over the cheek that he had punched. He felt a rush of guilt for punching the older man. "Sorry again," muttered Suzaku, "I just...want to see the recordings of the clone."

Lloyd stared at him for a while before nodding and returning to his work.

Cecile led him to a small laptop where she turned it on for him. It took a few minutes for the laptop to load, but once it did, she grabbed a clear case containing a CD within and placed it into the CD-ROM. Once again it loaded for a few seconds before a screen popped up. "This is the recordings of his first month here," said Cecile.

Suzaku pulled out the chair and sat down. He glanced around the room once and then looked up at Cecile who was standing over him. "Is the room wired?" he asked.

Cecile's eyes widen slightly at the question. She looked down at him then shook her head back and forth in a negative answer. "Feel free to be Suzaku Kururugi," she said with a small smile.

Sighing, Suzaku removed the mask and set it aside. He had wanted to see the recordings, not as Zero, but as Suzaku. He stared at the moving images, watching as the clone Lelouch wandered around the small room aimlessly. The screen went black for a second and then the image came back. The once empty table now had a board game of chess on top with Lelouch sitting in a chair. He was playing against himself. The corners of Suzaku's lips tugged slightly into a smile at the sight. Even though he was a clone with no memories of the original, the two seemed to share the similar like for chess. He continued to watch in silence, letting the hours pass. Comparing, he could already see the similar aspects of the clone to the original. The way he slept, the way he moved, the way he ate, it was all the same. Suzaku never knew how much he was aware of the other until now. He tightened his hands into fists, his fingers biting into his palms as he watched the clone Lelouch through his daily life of his first month in the white room.

"Would you like some water?" asked Cecile, interrupting him shortly.

Suzaku pulled his gaze away, long enough to look up and nod. She left and returned with a bottle of water, which he gladly accepted. Opening the bottle, he drank the water while watching the video. He was entranced by the recording, watching with curiosity as Lelouch slowly moved towards the cot. At first, Suzaku thought he would be taking a nap, but the next action that came from the clone Lelouch shocked and surprised him. The clone sat down on the cot and unzipped his pants. He kicked off the pants he was wearing, baring his lower half. Leaning against the wall, the clone Lelouch started to touch and caress himself. Suzaku choked on the water he was drinking and started coughing.

"Are you alright?" asked Cecile as she rushed to his side.

He was busily trying to stop himself from coughing when he heard Cecile muttered an 'oh.' He glanced over to her and saw her blushing.

"Ah, did he reach that scene?" asked Lloyd amusingly.

Suzaku recovered from the fit of coughing and frowned. He looked over his shoulder to Lloyd. "I thought you said all clones were created with a blank slate?" asked Suzaku.

"They are...but remember this clone has been out on the road for quite a while. He probably learned it somewhere while roaming out there," said Lloyd with a shrug.

Suzaku turned his attention back to the screen where he could still see the clone pleasuring himself. Unable to tear his gaze away, he watched the slender hands of the clone stroke himself. The facial expression of the clone was erotic and lustful. Suddenly amethyst eyes looked straight up into the camera jolting Suzaku back. He stared at the darken eyes staring into the camera.

"If you are uncomfortable with this, would you like me to forward this part?" asked Cecile.

"No," answered Suzaku, a little too quickly than he would have liked.

Cecile seemed to have noticed this and smiled at him. Suzaku could feel his ear burning hot from embarrassment. He looked away from her. Without glancing back at her, he said in a quiet voice, "I'll continue watching." He could feel her stare and smile burning a hole through him, but he ignored it. The scene passed with Lelouch satisfying himself and falling asleep. Deciding that he had seen enough for the day, he exited the screen and turned off the laptop. Suzaku put the mask back on and bid his farewell to the two scientists before taking his leave.

As soon as he returned to the house, he immediately checked on Nunnally and found her soundly asleep. He looked slightly to the right and saw Sayoko sitting in a chair by her bed side, so he retired to his room. He slipped off the mask and the Zero suit. He walked over to the mirror and stared at his reflection. Suzku reached out with a hand and touched the cold mirror. The image of himself blurred and became Lelouch. He stared back at him with those same eyes Suzaku had seen earlier. Suzaku longed to hold him in his arms. "I am a part of you. Struggle all you want, but you can never erase me," said the image of Lelouch, "I am embedded into the deepest part of your memories. We are tied by blood." A slow burning arose from deep within Suzaku. He gritted his teeth together and clenched his hand into a fist. He drew his right fist back and swung into the mirror with force, cracking it. The mirror shattered and broke into pieces. He looked down to the shards of mirror scattered on the ground. He could still see distorted images of Lelouch's on the shattered pieces of mirror. "Shut up," he hissed angrily under his breath. He heard Lelouch laughing at him.

A loud, tentative knock on his door jerked him from his trance. "Zero, is everything all right in there? I heard something break," said a maid.

Startled, he looked up at the door. "Yes, everything is fine. I accidentally knocked over a glass," he said.

"Should I clean it up?" asked the maid through the closed door.

"No. There's no need for that. I already picked it up. You can leave."

"Yes, Zero."

Suzaku waited till he heard the footsteps disappear into the distance. A slight, throbbing pain in his right hand drew his eyes downward. He finally noticed the ripped flesh embedded with little pieces of mirror glasses. Droplets of warm, scarlet blood dripped from his ripped flesh down to the floor. In the silence of his room, the sound of each blood drop echoed in a rhythmic heartbeat. Numbly, he went to the bathroom and took out a pair tweezers. With quick precisions, he removed the small shards of glass. After removing the glass, he rinsed and cleaned his injured hand. Taking out the first aid kit, he bandaged his damaged hand and returned to his bed. Sinking into the mattress, Suzaku stared up at the ceiling. He slowly closed his eyes and eventually fell asleep.

Looking to his left and then to his right, Suzaku found himself enveloped in darkness. Suddenly, he heard footsteps ahead of him. He looked up and saw Lelouch's straight and slender back. He called out to him, but Lelouch continued walking. He tried to chase after him, but his feet were heavy like lead and he couldn't move. He struggled to free himself, calling out to Lelouch once more. When Lelouch did not turn, he began to plead for the other to look at him. Surprisingly, the dark haired fallen king stopped in his tracks. He spun around to face Suzaku. With a sad expression he asked solemnly, "Why should I stop for you? Do you not hate me? Didn't you want me to disappear? I killed Euphemia whom you loved. I can feel your hatred even after death. What is it that you want to prove?"

"...Yes, I hate you. I hate you for killing Euphie. I hate you with every fiber of my body that I wish you would completely disappear...but you continue to haunt me. Yet despite my hatred, there is a part of me that yearns for you. You have taken my heart with you to the grave," answered Suzaku, "You may feel my hatred even after death, but that hatred comes from this torture. I'm a living, walking corpse. The agony that rips away at my soul each night, it does not matter how much I scream, it falls on deaf ear. I don't want to prove anything. I just want to be released from this invisible chain that binds me."

"You accepted my geass-"

"I had no choice."

"You killed me."

Suzaku stared into Lelouch's amethyst eyes. Tears of blood began to trickle down Lelouch's sad face. Suzaku took a step back. Lelouch's words sliced into his soul. He could never repent for the act he committed against his friend. He tried to wipe away the bloody tears from Lelouch's face, but the raven haired man was pulled from him. Suzaku grasped thin air and suddenly he was falling into the dark abyss. He came crashing down with a thud that awoke him. He sat up and realized it was all a dream. Sighing, he stood up and forced himself to get ready for the day.

Upon Nunnally's order, he was given the day off. Although he protested, she insisted and assured him that Sayoko would take care of her. Resigning, he agreed to take the day off. He returned to his room and closed the door. Leaning against it, he sighed and stared at his half empty room. He remained there for a while and then pushed himself off the door. As he took a step forward, a knock on the door grabbed his attention. He turned and opened it.

A young maid was standing before with a yellow orange package in hand. "This was delivered to you from Cecile," she said.

Suzaku took the package from her and thanked her before closing the door. Walking to his computer desk, he pulled out the chair and sat down. He opened the package and a letter fell out. Unfolding the paper, he read the short letter addressed to him.

_Zero,_

_These are the rest of the observations. One of the CDs is an hour long interview. It's the CD marked with the red label. I felt it was more appropriate for you to watch these in private. If you have any questions, let me know._

– _Cecile_

He set the letter down and stared at the CDs inside the packaged box. He grabbed the letter again and stood up. Suzaku walked over and rummaged through his dresser. He found a lighter and walked out toward the balcony. On his way, he grabbed a picture frame sitting on the desk and slid the glass out. He set the frame down and carried the glass with him. Opening the door to the balcony, he stepped out and stood by the railings. Putting the letter on top of the glass, he lit a small corner of the letter. He watched the orange red flames slowly lick and burn the letter. A small gust of wind blew the ashes of the paper away. Suzaku silently watched the last piece of ash disappear. Turning, he walked back inside in his room to sort through the CDs. Sitting back down at the computer desk, he flipped through the CDs until he he found the one with the red label. Turning on the computer, he waited for it load before inserting the CD. It loaded and a screen popped up. He clicked the play button. The screen fuzzed and then it cleared up showing Lelouch. Suzaku could see the uncertainty on Lelouch's face. "Different," muttered Suzaku. Lelouch always appeared to be confident.

Suzaku proceeded to watch the interview. Lloyd's voice could be heard asking, "What is your name?"

"...I remember first being called number Zero. But I have also been called Hei, Gou, and Li."

"I see. Well, let us give you a permanent name. From now on, you will be known as Lelouch."

"Lelouch?"

"Yes, Lelouch. Now, where are you from?"

The clone shifted in his seat and gave a hesitant look at the camera.

Lloyd said, "Take your time. What is the first place that come to mind?" The clone tilted his head, deep in thought. "I remember white. I remember water. I remember tubes...faceless people...white coats. Muffled voices and sounds," answered the clone in broken sentences.

Lloyd paused and Cecile took over, "What happened when you were there?"

"I woke up in a bed. A man in a white coat took me from the room. They strapped my arms and legs onto a chair. They would inject me with a white liquid and ask me questions if I remember anything. Are you going to do the same thing to me?" asked Lelouch anxiously.

"No, no we're not," replied Lloyd, "We just wanted to know a little bit more about you. Do you remember anything else? What about how you escaped?"

Lelouch replied, "One day...there was a loud explosion. People were screaming and I was running down a hallway with others. A man pushed into a room and told me to keep running. I did as I was told. At the end of this hallway, there was a light. When I ran to it, I was suddenly outside. Big trees. There were big trees everywhere. I turned around to look and saw huge monsters destroying the building. They were shooting people...more flames and screams. I was scared and I ran...ran from the scary monsters. I reached a road and a passing car stopped in front of me. An elderly woman got out and kindly helped me. She took me in...I lived with her until she passed away. Her grandson took me in. He treated me worst than those in the white coats. One night, he started yelling, saying that he would sell me away. The next day, he dragged me into the car and took me somewhere far away. But then...a car hit us. I pushing myself out the broken window. I looked over my shoulder and saw him bleeding. Scared, I ran again. I wandered the streets for months...and then you two found me."

"Okay Lelouch, if you could live with anyone, what kind of person should they be?"

"...Kind. Kind like the elderly woman who took care of me. Strong, not like her grandson, but strong in their will. Justice to fight for and help the weak. Selfless."

"What if we told you there's one person that exist with your ideal preference? Would you live with him or her?"

"If there was, I would," answered Lelouch without hesitation.

"Very good. This concludes our interview for today," said Lloyd.

The screen turned black and Suzaku leaned back against his chair. He replayed the interview over in his mind, letting the information sink in. He began to think that this Lelouch, in many ways, was like a child. Abruptly, he stood up and left the room. Leaving the house dressed in his Zero suit, Suzaku walked with his destination in mind. It took him an hour and thirty minutes to reach the location. The cemetery was bare. He found his way around the graveyard and found the headstone of the person he was looking for. He stared down at the headstone, reading the letters displayed on it: Lelouch. "If this is a part of my punishment to see you again in the flesh, then I will face it head on. I will not run from this. Let me see where this road will take me," he whispered.

In the back on his mind, he could hear Lelouch saying, "Where the road will take us..."

Suzaku returned to the facility where he found Cecile and Lloyd in the white room where Lelouch was currently living. As soon as Lelouch was out of ear shot, he turned to Lloyd and said, "I have decided...I will take him in, but...what about Nunnally? I cannot leave her side, so he must stay in my room."

Lloyd smiled at him and said, "That's fine...he's lived in this tiny room for a few months already. As for Nunnally...I suggest that you make sure she doesn't see him when you bring him to your room. You should know her schedule, you are Zero after all."

"Very well."

Lloyd turned and call for Lelouch. Appearing beside them, Lelouch glanced between the two. "Lelouch, do you remember when I asked you if there was a person who existed with your ideal preference, would you go with them and you said you would?"

Lelouch nodded silently at him.

"Well, this is the person," said Lloyd, waving a hand at Suzaku.

Lelouch glanced at him and faintly smiled.

"Pack your things Lelouch. You will be living with this person from now on," said Lloyd.

Lelouch nodded once more and left them to pack.

Afterward, Lloyd excused himself and Cecile spoke up as she appeared next to Suzaku. "You made a good decision. I'm glad you decided to take him in," she said.

"...I don't know if it's a good decision," said Suzaku, staring at Lelouch's back, "...I wonder why we were brought together...time and time again, I can't seem to escape him."

Cecile looked at Suzaku and quietly said, "Maybe because you and he were destined to be together."

* * *

><p><strong>Afterword<strong>

**oddsisters**: We made it again...somehow. We give props to writers who can write forever. For us, we're tired. We've been nonstop writing for three weekends now. We're taking a break due to school and work. See you guys during spring break! We'll have more stories, drabbles, and continuations next time! See you in our next chapters. And remember, review, review, and review. Don't forget to favor and alert this story. C:


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: We do not own Code Geass. This is purely fanmade.

oddsisters' note: Characters may be out of character. There will be one OOC character that we will claim as our own. This fan fiction is not related to the anime/manga. It will contain boy x boy. Rated M for sexual content, language, and maybe violence (that will be later in the story). PLEASE REVIEW. We'll **_update_** FASTER if you do!

**The Fallen King : With You**

Cecile's words shook him thoroughly. "Destined," he muttered as he closed his eyes. _"We are tied by blood."_ He opened his eyes quickly and brushed the memory of the dream away. Suzaku took a step forward and started walking toward Lelouch who was busily packing. He stopped a few feet away, watching in silence as Lelouch continued to pack. Suddenly, Lelouch's hands stopped moving and he slowly looked up at Suzaku. Suppressing the urge to embrace him, Suzaku turned on his heels and retreated from Lelouch. As he walked away, he could feel Lelouch's eyes on his back. A shudder ran through him as he saw the image of Lelouch's eyes in his mind. "Oh, Zero, come here for a second," said Lloyd interrupting his thoughts.

Suzaku glanced to the side where Lloyd was sitting and strolled over to him. As soon as he reached Lloyd, he seated himself from across the scientist and waited for Lloyd to speak.

"So, I was thinking," said Lloyd, "I decided to come up with a plan to hide Lelouch. We'll disguise him with a wig, some contact lenses, and name him Li. When you return to the mansion, go meet up with Nunnally and introduce him as a soldier in training-"

"But I don't train soldiers," said Suzaku, "Nunnally knows that because my duty is to protect her. I can't have my mind elsewhere."

"Say that you decided to take on an apprentice," continued Llyod as if Suzaku had not cut him off. "If anything should happen to you in the line of battle, he will take your place. Thus, you will be doing something that is concerning the future of Nunnally's life. In doing this, he will be able to move around the house freely without any suspicion, but of course if he wishes to leave the house, you will have to accompany him."

"And you think that Nunnally won't recognize him?"

"We'll use make up to change his appearance a little."

Suzaku glanced over to Lelouch for a brief second and then returned his gaze to Lloyd who was waiting for his approval. Sighing in defeat, Suzaku agreed. It would be a lot easier to move around if the bodyguards at the house knew about him as well. "I am done packing," said Lelouch as he swung the bag over his shoulder. Suzaku and Lloyd looked at him and nodded their heads.

"Wait for a second," said Lloyd, "We're going to disguise you."

The two men stood from their seat and walked over to Lelouch.

"You must keep this disguise on at all time unless Zero gives you permission to remove it," said Lloyd.

Puzzled, Lelouch looked over to Lloyd and asked, "Why do I have to wear a disguise?"

"Because we are protecting you. No one must know of your existence. You were an experiment that was a highly classified research. If they find out, you may be killed or worst, they'll take you in for more experiment. That means more needles and you don't want that do you?"

Lelouch shook his head. "So be a good boy and listen to Zero," said Lloyd. Lelouch nodded his head obediently. "Good boy," Lloyd said, patting Lelouch on the shoulder.

Cecile came back into the room carrying a brown wig, a small contact lens case, and a cosmetic bag. Lelouch sat down on the cot as Cecile pulled a chair over and sat down in front of him. She made Lelouch put on the wig first. It was a wavy, neck length wig. After the wig, she gave him the black contacts. Cecile quickly did his make up, adding foundation and some color tones to change the shape of his nose and cheek bone. When it was over, Lelouch looked like a different person. Cecile leaned back and admired her work.

"Let's go then," Suzaku said.

Lelouch stood up from the cot and followed after Suzaku. Before leaving the room, Lloyd tugged on Suzaku's sleeve. He turned and tilted his head at Lloyd in a questioning manner.

"Best of luck to you," whispered Lloyd.

Confused by his words, Suzaku merely nodded and left with Lelouch right behind his heels. He was nearly out of the building when Cecile caught up with him.

"Zero," she called out to stop him, "Here."

Suzaku stared at the cosmetic bag she held out to him. He blinked at it and then looked at her.

Cecile smiled and said, "It's for when he removes his make up. He should reapply them before leaving the room."

Nodding his head, Suzaku took the cosmetic bag and handed it to Lelouch to put into his bag. He thanked Cecile before leaving again.

As soon as they returned, Suzaku introduced Lelouch to the guards. He told the guards the same story that Lloyd had told him. He could tell the guards were wary of Lelouch, but Suzaku assured them that Lelouch was of no threat and he would be under his watch. The guards let them through and Suzaku made his way to find Nunnally. He found her in her study room reading a book. He quietly stepped inside and motioned for Lelouch to follow. Lelouch obediently moved forward, staying close to him as he walked over to Nunnally. Suzaku cleared his throat, catching Nunnally's attention. She looked up at him with a bit of surprise.

"Oh! Good afternoon Zero…" she greeted, but her smile slightly faded when she noticed Lelouch, "And who may this be?"

"This is Li," replied Suzaku before taking a breath, "He is a soldier I'll be training. I will teach him everything Zero must know…and if something does happen to me and I can no longer be by your side, Li will step forward as the new Zero. And so, I ask that you allow him to stay in the mansion while I train him."

"…I'm surprised that you thought that far ahead, but to think that you might die-"

"I must consider every little possibility to ensure your safety."

"And if nothing happens to you?"

"Then he will remain here or join the Order of the Black Knights."

"Out of all the soldiers in training, why him?"

"He showed the best results in the categories of leadership, strength, intelligence and responsibility."

Suzaku could feel Nunnally stare at him for a while before turning her gaze to Lelouch. Her long silence had Suzaku worried and he wondered if she might have seen through the disguise. However, the nod of her head in approval released a sigh of relief from him. Suzaku bowed and thanked her. As he turned to leave, Nunnally asked him, "Ah, but what room will he be staying in?"

Suzaku abruptly stopped and turned to look back at Nunnally, "He…will be staying with me."

"With you?"

"Yes…I think he will learn more if he stays in the same room with me."

"Oh, okay."

Suzaku hastily retreated out of the room. He headed toward his quarter. When he entered his room, he released a breath. Stretching, he walked over to his bed and sat down. Hearing a plop, he glanced up and saw Lelouch looking around the room. Suzaku nearly forgot that Lelouch was with him. Standing up again, he walked back to him, but stopped in his tracks when Lelouch's gaze fell on him.

"I will be…Li from now on?" asked Lelouch with a tilt of his head.

Gulping slowly, Suzaku nodded his head, "Yes…"

"Will you call me by the name Lloyd gave me?"

"…Maybe…"

"And what will I call you?"

Suzaku froze at the question. He debated if he should tell Lelouch his real name or not. Shifting his weight onto one leg, he met Lelouch's gaze. He exhaled and said, "Su…Suzaku. You may call me Suzaku when we are in here, but other than in this room you will call me Zero."

Lelouch asked, "Why must I call you Zero outside of this room, but call you Suzaku in this room?"

"Zero is the name people know me by…Suzaku is the name…only people close to me know. No one else must know my real name."

"But I'm not close to you."

Suzaku dropped his gaze down at the question. Clearing his throat, he raised his face up and averted his eyes from the other man. He moved pass Lelouch and locked the door. "Anyway, you can remove your disguise now," said Suzaku. He looked over his shoulder and watched as Lelouch started to remove the wig. He was relieved Lelouch dropped the subject and asked no further. "The bathroom is to your left." Lelouch looked over his shoulder at him and nodded. He walked over to the bathroom and closed the door. Suzaku tapped his head against the door with eyes closed. He could hear the water from the sink run and a few splashes. A few minutes later, the bathroom door opened. Suzaku turned and watched as Lelouch stepped out. Seeing him in his normal state, Suzaku's determination to live with him wavered. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the feeling away. He noticed Lelouch staring at him. "What?" asked Suzaku.

"…Do you sleep with that mask on?" asked Lelouch.

"No."

"Then…will you take it off?"

Suzaku hesitated for a second then turned away. He walked over to his dresser and pressed his hand against his helmet. He slipped off the helmet and set it down on top of the dresser. He turned to face Lelouch and watched for any change of expression, but Lelouch's face remained blank. "Do you know me?" asked Suzaku.

Lelouch stared at him for a while then shook his head. "I'm sorry…am I suppose to know who you are?" asked Lelouch.

"No," replied Suzaku, "No you're not."

Although hearing Lelouch's response should have been good, a part of him felt disappointed that Lelouch did not know. Deciding not to dwell on it, Suzaku walked into the bathroom and changed his clothes. When he stepped out, he found Lelouch standing in the middle of the room. Their gaze met for an instant before Suzaku glanced away. He walked to the dresser and placed Zero's clothes on top. He busied himself while making sure his back was facing Lelouch. He could not face the other for the moment. He needed a little break from staring at the face of the man who was once considered his friend.

"Where will I be sleeping?" asked Lelouch in a tiny, almost shy voice.

Suzaku froze at the question. He did not immediately reply, rather he composed himself before slowly turning around to face Lelouch. Leaning against the dresser. He answered, "We will share the same bed. It is large enough to fit the both of us."

"Oh. Then you won't…make me sleep on the floor?" asked Lelouch hesitantly, as if mentioning the idea would change Suzaku's mind.

Suzaku shook his head, "No, not unless you want to. Do you?"

He saw Lelouch shake his head vigorously. Nodding his head, he pushed himself off the dresser and walked toward the bed with Lelouch climbing into the bed from the opposite side. He sat down, feeling the bed dip under his weight. "Let's get some rest. Tomorrow will be a busy day for us," said Suzaku quietly. He didn't hear a reply from Lelouch, so he swung his feet up onto the bed. However, as he reached to turn off the light, he felt a pair of thin hands grab onto his arm. Suzaku glanced over to Lelouch who was shaking his head again. "What's wrong?" asked Suzaku.

"Darkness is…scary," muttered Lelouch.

Suzaku's eyes twitched in annoyance. He reached out and pried Lelouch's hand from his arm. "There is nothing to fear. You do not need to be afraid of the darkness when I am here," said Suzaku. "Now be good and go to sleep." Suzaku turned and clicked the lights off. The room was in complete darkness as Suzaku laid silently still. He could hear Lelouch's anxious breathing beside him. Closing his eyes tightly, he tried to ignore the man next to him, but it was impossible when Lelouch's breathing became even more short and quick. Scowling, he turned to face Lelouch. Although he could not see the other's face in the darkness, Suzaku reached out and pulled Lelouch into a tight and awkward embrace. With his arms wrapped tightly around Lelouch, Suzaku could feel his body slowly relax until his breathing became even. Once, he was sure Lelouch was asleep, Suzaku tried to pull away, however he was unable to as Lelouch inched closer and clutched onto his front shirt. Suzaku sighed inwardly. With no possibility of escape, he closed his eyes and decided to sleep.

It was morning by the time Suzaku opened his eyes. He blinked the sleepiness away and stared at the face laying on the pillow next to him. He never thought he would be waking up to see Lelouch's sleeping face next to him. For the first time since the original Lelouch's death, he slept peacefully. However, that moment was the only peaceful and angelic part of his morning. Suzaku flinched when Lelouch suddenly opened his eyes. He stared at the violet eyes in surprise. Pulling away, he sat up and greeted the other, "Morning."

Lelouch blinked at him and then, out of the blue he started screaming. Suzaku winced at the sound. Realizing that it would wake up the others and put the guards on alert, he pinned Lelouch down and covered his mouth to muffle the scream. "Why are you screaming?" asked Suzaku.

Lelouch thrashed under him without replying.

"Lelouch, calm down," said Suzaku in a firm tone. As if on command, Lelouch went completely limp. "If I remove my hand, will you stop screaming and tell me what's wrong?" asked Suzaku slowly.

Lelouch's eyes widen then he nodded. Sighing, Suzaku removed his hand. "S-sorry. I forgot that…I wasn't with that scientist anymore. And seeing a strange face I…thought I was sold again," answered Lelouch.

Suzaku arched a brow at the explanation. He slowly hung his head down, sighing in exasperation. He just knew today was going to be a long day.

"Can you move so I can get up?" asked Lelouch.

Jerking away as if he was burned, Suzaku lifted himself off of Lelouch. "Sorry," he muttered in embarrassment, "You can get ready now." He felt the bed shift as Lelouch got up hurriedly and ran to the bathroom. Sliding off the bed, Suzaku also dressed himself. By the time Lelouch came out, Suzaku was already fully dressed as Zero. He looked over to Lelouch who was in his disguise. "You remember what I told you yesterday?" asked Suzaku.

"Yes, don't call you Suzaku in public, I must follow your orders, stay closely by your side, and I must never remove my disguise unless you give me permission to," replied Lelouch.

Nodding in approval, they both walked out. Greeting Nunnally, who was already up and sitting at the table, Suzaku sat down. Lelouch following his lead, also sat down. Suzaku turned and looked at him. "Li, you're not allowed to sit," stated Suzaku. Lelouch felt embarrassed and tried to stand up. The chair fell over and he stumbled. Suzaku caught him before he could fall and cluck his tongue. He heard Nunnally giggling in the background.

"Zero, it's okay. The more the merrier," she said with a wave of her hand, gesturing for Li to sit back down, "Li, please sit down."

Suzaku slowly released his hold on Lelouch, watching as he picked up the chair and sat down once more. There was a red flush across Lelouch's face. "He really does follow your lead," said Nunnally amusingly.

"It seems he does," agreed Suzaku apathetically.

"I'm sorry," mumbled Lelouch.

"As long as you're not hurt," said Suzaku.

"That's a surprise," said Nunnally.

"What is?" asked Suzaku as he turned to face her.

"You're usually indifferent towards others except me. This is the first time I've seen you express concern for another," she said, "However, he's a little clumsy for someone who passed such rigorous training."

Suzaku coughed and answered, "He's just nervous around you. After all, you are the Empress of Britannia."

Nunnally smiled and looked over to Lelouch, "I'm not a scary person. I hope we will get along."

Lelouch gave her a small smile and nodded. To Suzaku's relief, breakfast continued and ended without other mishaps. After breakfast, Suzaku and Lelouch accompanied Nunnally to a charity even for orphanages. While walking through the crowd, Suzaku felt Lelouch clinging onto his cap the entire time. Scowling, Suzaku reached over and pulled his cape away only to have Lelouch grab another area of his cape. Frustrated, Suzaku turned to him. "Will you stop clinging to me?" hissed Suzaku.

Lelouch turned his terrified eyes toward Suzaku. A pang of guilt rushed through him. Suzaku sighed, knowing that Lelouch was uncomfortable with the crowd. After all, Lloyd did tell him that Lelouch was like a child. He had to be patient. "Please Li, all I'm asking is for you to walk beside me without clinging onto me," he said gently, "Be strong."

Lelouch quietly nodded, releasing Suzaku's cape.

"Here's your first duty," said Suzaku as he step aside, "Please push Nunnally's wheelchair. She will be greeting important guests and children," Suzaku said. Lelouch did as he was told. After the greeting, they came upon a familiar face.

"Good afternoon Nunnally. Zero," greeted Schneizel.

"Good afternoon Schneizel. What brings you here?" asked Nunnally.

"I came to tell Zero I finished the report as ordered and I submitted the report to the science department," replied Schneizel.

Zero nodded his head. "Good job."

Suzaku noticed Schneizel glance at Lelouch before asking, "If I may have permission, who is this?"

"Yes, you may have permission. This is Li. He is working under me for various reasons. You will see him often since he will be accompanying me," explained Suzaku, "You may take the rest of the day off."

"Yes Zero," answered Schneizel as he turned to Nunnally and bowed his respectfully.

Suzaku watched Schneizel walk away and disappear into the crowd. Then he noticed Kallen by the entrance. Turning to Lelouch, Suzaku said "Li, please stay close to Nunnally and do not, I repeat do not move from this spot. I must take care of something. I will return in a bit."

"Yes Zero."

Suzaku walked away from Nunnally and Lelouch. He walked up to Kallen and briefly spoke to her. "Kallen, please tighten security. With the assassination, we must take extra pre-caution. In case anything happens we will be prepared. I have-" Suzaku broke off in mid sentence. In the distant, he noticed Schneizel staring intensely at something. He thought Schneizel had left. Apparently that was not the case. Following his gaze, Suzaku realized he was staring toward Nunnally and Lelouch. Although he knew Schneizel was under the original Lelouch's geass, he still felt uneasy. There was an unsettling feeling from deep within him.

"-ero…Zero. Zero. What were you going to say?" asked Kallen.

Turning his attention back to Kallen, he shook his head. "Just tighten the security," Suzaku reiterated. He quickly walked back to Nunnally and Lelouch only to stop in his track from a few feet away. He watched Lelouch step away to pick up a handkerchief Nunnally had dropped. At that moment, he notice the slight difference in Schneizel's feature. His intense stare faded and a slight quirk at the corner of his lips indicated a smile. It seemed no one noticed the shift in Schneizel unless they observed him closely. Worried, Suzaku rushed over to Nunnally and Lelouch. When he glanced over to where Schneizel stood, the man was no longer there. Suzaku scanned the entire room, but was unable to find Schneizel anywhere. He felt a tug on his arm. Glancing over to his side, Lelouch was staring at him with concern.

"Is something wrong Zero?" asked Lelouch worriedly.

Suzaku paused then shook his head slowly. "No. No. Nothing is wrong. Don't worry about it."

The event ended without any further troubles. It was evening by the time they returned to the mansion. As Nunnally was being put in bed, Suzaku and Lelouch headed to their room. Once inside, Suzaku locked the door and took off his helmet. Undressing himself, he prepared for bed. While Lelouch was in the bathroom, Suzaku pondered about the charity event. He wondered what Schneizel's smile meant and he was sure it was not Nunnally, but at Lelouch he was intensely staring. Before he could ponder any further, the bathroom door opened and Lelouch stepped out. Suzaku turned away as he felt the weight of Lelouch's body on the bed. He turned the lights off and felt Lelouch cling onto his back. Suzaku closed his eyes briefly. _Not again_, he thought, but did not push Lelouch away. He felt Lelouch inch closer to him until there was barely any space left. Uncomfortable, Suzaku finally moved only to have Lelouch follow him. Sighing, he gave up and let the man do what he wanted. After a while, he heard Lelouch's soft and even breath. He became aware of Lelouch's warm thin body pressed against his back. Suzaku adjusted slightly and felt Lelouch's arm wrap around his waist. He paused, tempted to place his hand over Lelouch's, but in the end he decided not to.

Everything was blood red. He could smell the metallic stench of blood all around him. A thing, frail hand emerged from the pool of blood beneath is feet and grabbed onto his leg. Looking down, Suzaku watched as a head emerged.

"Why did you betray me?" asked the voice in a female tone.

Suzaku's eyes widened as he took a step back. As her whole body appeared, Suzaku stifled a scream. He stumbled and fell onto his back. "Eu-Euphie," he muttered.

She crawled her way up his body, tears of blood dripping down from her eyes. "Did you not remember that he was the one that killed me? Have you forgotten your revenge?" she asked in a haunting voice.

Suzaku choked back a sob. He wanted to look away, but he couldn't tear his gaze away. "Please…stop…stop this," he mumbled.

Euphie continued to crawl until she was hovering face to face over him. He could feel droplets of warm liquid dropping onto his face. "He's dead…Lelouch is dead. I killed him…" he muttered.

"He's not," she said firmly, "He's still very much alive. You would have to kill him again."

"No…stop torturing me!" he yelled.

He felt a shake and then another. Suzaku gasped and opened his eyes. He felt cool hands on his forehead, wiping away his sweats. He glanced to the side and stared into a pair of worried, purple eyes. "Le…louch," whispered Suzaku as he reached up wrap his hand around Lelouch's thin neck, "Why?"

Calmly, Lelouch stroked Suzaku's head soothingly. "Shhhh, it's okay," he hushed, "Everything is okay. I am here with you, Suzaku."

Suzaku's hand fell away and he relaxed, falling back into a peaceful sleep while Lelouch continued to comfort him.


	4. Author's Note

**Author's Note**

We apologize for the inconvenience, but this fanfic will be on a short hiatus while we, the authors, revise and rewrite the story. It will be back soon.


End file.
